What to know about alcohol consumption on St. Patrick’s Day – and all year round
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and while it’s a time for celebrating Irish heritage and wearing green to avoid getting pinched by your friends, the holiday has also become heavily linked with drinking alcohol.
“St. Patrick’s Day festivities are traditionally associated with alcohol,” says Sean Sibley, FNP, a primary care provider with Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center. “There is a difference between having a pint of beer to celebrate or having two to three pints over the course of a couple of hours.”
When someone drinks too much in that short window, their consumption could easily fit into the definition of binge drinking. Technically speaking, Sibley says that binge drinking is when someone drinks to the point of a blood alcohol level of .08%, which is generally a different amount of alcohol for men and women. For women, he says it usually takes four standard drinks over the course of two hours, and for men, that number is five.
But, with various serving sizes available and fluctuating alcohol by volume for different types of alcohols, it can be confusing what a standard drink is. An example of a standard drink is a 12-ounce 5% beer. However, many craft beers exceed that alcohol percentage, so a pint of a hefty double IPA might be equivalent to two standard drinks.
When it comes to wine, five ounces is one standard drink, and for spirits, just a single shot (1.5 ounces) is categorized as a drink.
While binge drinking can impair your decision making, cognitive ability, and motor skills, it also comes with long-term effects such as liver disease, heart disease, strokes, dementia, and depression and anxiety. Most recently, Sibley points out, the US Surgeon General has highlighted the increased risk of cancer from excessive drinking, including mouth, throat, esophageal, breast, liver, and colon cancer.
If you notice yourself indulging in alcohol too often, or drinking excessively when you do drink, Sibley notes that understanding your relationship with alcohol and having concerns about your consumption is a great first step to changing it. “Often, patterns of excessive alcohol use come from wanting to deal with stress and anxiety or help you fall asleep,” he says. “If you’re not drinking excessively daily, it would be good to take break from drinking and reflect on how you feel. This could allow an opportunity to look for more healthy ways to address thoughts, feeling, and behaviors. If you do drink excessively daily, it could be unsafe to stop alcohol use abruptly. I would recommend talking with a healthcare provider or center that specializes in detoxing from alcohol. There are also national hotlines for more information on local resources.”
And, if you want to go out and socialize this St. Patrick’s Day without the alcohol, there are plenty of mocktails and non-alcoholic beer options out there for you. Additionally, if your friends are choosing not to drink, respect and support their choice.
If you do plan on drinking, he says, plan ahead. Limit how much you drink, space them out, and make sure to stay hydrated with water. And, though it goes without saying, make sure you have a plan for safe transportation if you’re leaving your home.
“The statistics on drunk driving accidents and fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day are real – do not drink and drive or let others take that risk.”